The sun., 1887-04-17
NIGHT-HAWK Condolences.
IHE MEN WHO DRIVE CABS IN NEW
YORK DURING THE DARK HOURS

1hS bnuVeFuo8 Seuthcmno ouu INC Seuueu9on y
who was shot In the Bsck-'rhe strene.
armed Cabaaa-A Ride for q Cold Half
There's no money In the business any
moro" grumblcd cabman. leaning against a
lamp post on Sixth avenue at o'clock in the
morning. He belonged TO the class called
might hawks" by the general public and
~buckers" By the regular stable cabmen.
We don't get no way-up swells like we did
before them cab companies started. and then
the police has shut up nll the dives and that
kills business for us. You see we sorter de-
pends upon tough citizons for fares-fellers
Who go to Tom Goulds and the Haymarket-
you un'stan' Close them places UP. and what
do we git3 Git LETT see? don't know how
We makes ivin'. don't. Things amt like
what they used ter be, not by a blank sight.
boss. See them flggers painted right
amuck on the lantern OF my cab7 just
them little gobs Of paint bust the business all
TO Jerusalem. We have to have EN- there. The
buckers used to have their numbers In little
fRgers on the under side OF the stop. and
twasn't many people knew where to look for
'em. Course never done none o. that crooked
business myself, un stan. but know how the
racket was worked by fellers that wasn't
straight. You see they'd pick UP gentleman
as was pretty full and offer to take him home
and drive him around until he got sorter
rocked to sleep. Then they'd 60 through him
and clean out his pockets, and after that they'd
take him home. II he woke up when they
helped him out and made a row about losing
his money, they'd Just tumble him over and
drive away, and he never coud tell who they
was; see Can't do that now, because man
can get tho number right from the lamp. A
Teller has to be careful now II he wants to keep
out of trouble.
"Just to show you how 1t works. the other
night one of the fellers was standing around
the corner, when three men came along, and
two of them put the other In cab and told
Johnny to drive him to n house up town. Then
they lit out. Johnny looked inside and saw tho
gentleman was full as a goat and his watch
gone and tho broken chain hanging out of his
pocket Says Johnny to himself, says he, If
take this stiff home and he gets on that he's
been robbed. he'll lny 1t to me and I'll do time
sure So he ups and calls copper and says
he won't have nothing to do with the job The
copper COOS through the drunk gentleman and
finds he's broke, and then he yanks him out OF
the cab and takes him into some place. and says
to Johnny, says he, You're honest, young fell
ler.' That's the way Johnny tells II, and he
oughter know hadn't he? Course he had.
Johnny wouldn't collar the Doodle him
self and then call the copper and give
him q MI about the two fellers as skip
The aueerest thing eyer happened to me
one OnRs when ihs coming saes
. lady home: and a friend Of mine drove a iel;;
to get home first, and 50 did she, but neither
one OF 'em was certain the other was In CAB.
sSs sn want tn friend Ff n9
he tumbled, and got the lady home and was
out Of sight BY the time the the man got there: but
to tell. It only shows what funny things q
bucker runs across sometimes.
into Fifth avenue from somewhere up near Fiji
.ieth street an and saw somefhinE funny mn &c CON- ,b
to see wSas and
On. Cab. sir 2 says as he came !, nea, me. l
But he wasn't asleep He tried to say, some
couldn't talk. and saw he, was about full Of
he hsd on S aEs ana
drove him down to ahotel. where I knew, the
niSh, clerk and got hin into ithSnt S;
hot drink after putting him to bed. and pretty
soon he got over the chill and told 81 me what was
seems Re had been on a a. r. ket and SIT ehoek i
home He sS Went % to sleep n the S cab and % when hem
lie woke up he found himself under somebody's
front steps without any clothes n;s except what l
box had stripped him and left him there. and
he hadn't the least idea whS bsSy they we're Or what
way way out t on b lst street. He'd LOST fne dress
sant his we to
have business suit as he couldn't 3, get home
e sh9w up II he iz ,3 found him h, il; WeI
wife about an important club meeting, you see,
and he paid me well for getting him out, Of the
ssre susiness railing ali ali ali sehtie@ans % ciotbes IS
Eoing 2 little too far and no square cabman
There's a chap over on the other, corner. who
could tell u queer story II he wanted TO- but it's
no use for any stranger to ask him. He got a
Murray ray Hhi: Hill 4 tall man VA srayish han ana NJ
moustache came out and asked him how much
R brett. K1qS % sfs he a0S s Would
heeP him auiet On racket The tai man put
door was opened for a minute he heard q
he the hsass opensa
quickly. and the tall man !, and another
%sn Soas came essmea es Carrying tha %an
wrapped up in a blanket: They put the third
Il the othsp who o vs s IN
chap, sRe' Who SPOKE sharp and decidsd and then hen
drove to certain hotel. whore he helped carry
the chap, who seemed sick or drunk, up to
you remember the case OF q man who was
{ound in a room at hotel with a bullet IN his
back and a pistol In his hand. and nobody
could get Q word out Of him except u tall de-
tective who said he'd been hired to take care
0f him. Well, it isn't cabman's business to
give anything away, and amt saying word.
Many Job we get through messenger boys
order cabs from stables. The boy comes to a
bucker and says he's got q call that he'll give
regular stable cab the gentleman gets one OF
the night hawks, The boy gets gets ten On, gents q, q
regular fee. and makes a quarter out Of the
cabmen. or course the cabman squares him.
often get left when 1t comes to charging Now
there's Jerry the Lug. as they call him Hes
tSS m o. 1 II
The boys gave him the name for guy
Ths1 Was he yesry the sna Rs brotSa;
Paddy. and great team they Were